Werewolf old draft
by Myrtle
Summary: A young werewolf has to escape from the Comittee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, with help from Remus
1. Part 1: Harriets POV

Disclaimer: Everyone except Harriet and her family belong to JK Rowling. Harriet belongs to me. Remus belongs to JK Rowling in the copyright sense, but really, he's mine! I will marry Remus Lupin! Mhuahahahahaha!  
  
Werewolf-Part1-Harriet's POV  
  
When I arrived in the building with my parents, who spoke to the woman at the desk, two large men grabbed me and forced me into a cage. My parents and I protested against it as it was not the full moon so I was harmless, but they paid no attention. During my trial I wasn't even allowed to defend myself. The man who was practically running the trial, Lucius Malfoy, announced the verdict.  
  
"It is the decision of the Comittee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures that the werewolf Harriet Rivers hereafter called the condemned shall be executed on the first of September. To be executed by beheading to be carried out by the Comittee's appointed executioner Walden Macnair"  
  
I sat down on the bottom of the cage in shock. It was impossible! They just didn't do that these days. Not in England! Of course to them I wasn't human, though five years before I had been. When we were back in the reception area I was let out. I had a plan to escape...  
  
..I decided that I was going to escape at night on my broomstick that night, though I didn't know where I was going to go. I overheard the woman at the desk talking:  
  
"I remember a case like this about...hmm, about twenty five years ago, I think, with a young werewolf who'd killed someone. His name was Remus Lupin, such a sweet boy... The case could have ended ike this too, except that Albus Dumbledore let him go to Hogwarts. I think we've still got the files somewhere. It's sad really, about these werewolves. I mean, they're people too but they can't control what they do at the full moon and then, well they're treated like animals. I really don't know how Macnair can do it." This gave me the idea to complete my plan. I leaned face down on the filing cabinet half pretending to cry, but partly really in tears. I just exaggerated a little. I was really looking for this 'Lupin's' files. When I found them I tore off his address from the top of the page. It was somewhere in Derbyshire. When I got home my parents let me go inside although they had been told that I must be 'kept tethered and isolated' I got a map, and ripped out the page showing Derbyshire and my broom, and put them outside in the shed. My mum came into my room,  
  
"I really don't know what we can do. The Comittee will never change their minds..." For a moment I wondered whether I should tell her about my plan, but it wouldn't help. She'd want to come with me, and the if we were caught she'd be in trouble with the Ministry. I couldn't.  
  
"We've had a letter", she said. They know you've come into the house when you should be tied up outside. I'm sorry..." I went outside and tied myself to the fence. I knew I'd easily free myself. That was how I got into that mess...  
  
When everyone had gone to bed and all the lights in the house had gone out, I got my things out of the shed, mounted my broom and flew away. After several hours I got to the right area, but Remus's home was well away from any main towns and it took me ages to find the house. When I finally arrived I nervously went to the front door and knocked. A man of around thirty five answered it, his face illuminated in the light of the waning moon. I wasn't quite sure what to say.  
  
"Er..Erm...Are you Remus Lupin?" I asked, and he nodded. "I heard someone mention you at the Comittee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures and I wondered if you could help me." His puzzled expresion changed to concern.  
  
"What were you doing at the Comittee? Do your parents know you're here? How did you find where I live?"  
  
"I.. my parents do't know I'm here. I ran away. I had to, because of the trial. I'm a ...a..." I couldn't say it.  
  
"A werewolf?" Remus finished for me. I nodded slightly and blushed, bright red. "You don't have to be ashamed." he continued. "We can't help being what we are. Anyway, your trial. How did it go?" I shuddered.  
  
"It was horrible "  
  
"The verdict?" Remus asked quietly. I was sobbing by this point. Unable to speak I drew a finger across my throat. After a few minutes when I had calmed down, he asked me how I had found him and I told him everything. "We'll go to Dumbledore in the morning. He'll be able to help.  
  
In the morning we got onto our broomsticks to fly to Hogwarts. "I'd normally apparate, but you won't have learned how, so we'll fly. You'll be able to get your apparating license in...Oh, I don't know. How old did you say you were?"  
  
"I'll be thirteen in December-if I make it 'til then" I said feeling depressed.  
  
"Don't worry" Lupin said. "Dumbledore will be able to help." We flew on in silence for a while, then Remus asked me curiously "What do you do at school? I mean, at the full moon?"  
  
"Oh, I have to take a disgusting potion and then I am harmless, but I have to hide so nobody sees me and finds out, but my best friend knows. I hide in this hut, under a secret passage..."  
  
"The shrieking shack." Lupin murmured. "Yes, I remember it well... Oh, here we are!" he added, cheering up visibly. We swooped down and dismounted our brooms. Then we walked towards the castle door....  
  
When we got into Dumbledore's office he began talking straight away, urgently.  
  
"Harriet? Remus? What's this all about?" Remus nodded at me so I spoke first.  
  
"You know I'm a...a werewolf, proffesor. Well I, I killed someone." I started to panic. What if Dumbledore said it was my fault, what if he didn't help me...? "I couldn't help it. I was tied up in the yard at home but I escaped. I jumped over the fence and..."  
  
"It's alright, Harriet. I know it wasn't your fault. I won't expel you. Were you caught?" I nodded slowly.  
  
"It was my trial yesterday." turning away I muttered "Execution, next month. That's why I ran away. I'm scared, Professor."  
  
"Execution!" Dumbledore exclaimed. "You!" I shall have to go to London immediately. And he left. It was about forty-five minutes before he returned, walking slowly, looking down at his feet. "I'm sorry Harriet. There was nothing I could do. The Minister off Magic is on there side. You remember what I told you at the end of last term?" he asked. "About Voldemort?" I winced at him saying the name, but nodded. "Well now, after our arguament he disagrees with all I say. Like this-You." I tried not to show how disappointed I was.....  
  
"I have been ordered to hand you over to the Ministry" Dumbledore continued.  
  
"And, are you.going to?"I asked. Dumbledore shook his head and said  
  
"Of course not, but we shall have to go intohiding. If we get caught I shall probably be sent to Azkaban, as well as you being.ah.Where did I put that invisibility cloak?" He began searching through a cupboard. At this moment someone banged on the door.  
  
"Really, calm down, banging won't help, there's a password." said Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. "Er. Cockroach Cluster. Oh, he's changed it.Fizzing Whizzbee..Sugar Quill. Yes!" The door opened and Cornelius Fudge walked in, followed by two dementors, and the two men from my trial. They grabbed me and forced me into a cage. The dementors dragged Dumbledore away. Remus was left alone in the middle of the room. As the dementors passed me I could hear Lucius Malfoy's voice again in my head 'sentenced to execution by beheading.' repeating over and over again. I felt dizzy and sat down.  
  
I didn't know where I was. I must have fallen asleep of something. The bars of the cage were digging into my back uncomfortably. I stood up and could see that I was in a large room at the back of a crowd. As the people saw me stand up they moved away looking frightened. I couldn't understand it. I still can't. I mean, I'm human like them, most of the time. I'd never hurt them before, and I hadn't deliberately hurt anyone before. What I had done at the full moon wasn't my fault. was it? I was feeling guilty again so I tried to concentrate on what was going on around me. Someone was talking.  
  
"Albus Dumbledore, you are here to answer to the charge of attempting to prevent the Committee fo the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures from carrying out the sentence passed on the second of this month. How do you plead?"  
  
"Guilty. I did indeed try to save an innocent girl's life. Alas I have failed. I am sorry Harriet." As Dumbledore said this the judge went very red and then he shouted,  
  
"Innocent girl! Harriet Rivers is a werewolf and a murderer!"  
  
"NO!" I shouted. "I am not a murderer. I couldn't help what I did. You can't understand. You are not a werewolf." I was loosing control. Whenever I get provoked I get really angry, I know I should try to ignore people and not let them bother me but it doesn't work.  
  
"Harriet." Dumbledore said gently. "Don't make things worse for yourself." Make things worse! How could I possibly do that? Things couldn't get any worse. The judge although a little shaken proceeded with the trial.  
  
"Albus Dumbledore found guilty. I suggest a sentence of no less than six months in Azkaban." Now I felt really bad. I had gone to Dumbledore for help, and although I was no better off for it,now I'd got him into trouble. Dumbledore was taken away by the dementors again. I was taken back to the Comittee where Lucius Malfoy had an unpleasant grin on his face.  
  
"It has been decided to-" he was interrupted.  
  
"You can't do this." shouted Remus Lupin.  
  
"Oh really?" said Malfoy. "Who are you to tell the Committee for the Disposal of dangeros Creatures what to do?"  
  
"My name is Remus" he answered simply. "Will you let her go?"  
  
"No I shall not. Have him thrown out please." Remus was sent out.At least he was safe away from here. I knew that they wouldn't care if he'd done anything or not, they're just predjudiced against us.  
  
"It has been decided to move forwards the execution of the werewolf, Harriet Rivers to." I held my breath. How much time would I have to plan my escape.? "Tonight at ten o'clock."  
  
No! How was I going to plan my escape in just four and a half hours. It was hopeless. I began screaming and crying. While I still hoped that I would be able to escape, I had mostly managed to hold back, and stay calm, but now- what was the point? I just sat in the bottom of the cage, staring blankly into space. Hours passed, then I was taken into a different room. A tall man with a thick balck moustache was running his finger along the blade of an axe. I pressed up against the far side of my cage, more terrified than I had been before,but I was pulled out of the cage and dragged towards him. I was trembling. But there was one thing that I had forgotten:the full moon. As I was pushed down to the ground, it came out from behind a cloud, and I escaped. I don't know how, or what I did, because I wasn't in control. That was the first time I was actually glad of what I was : a werewolf. 


	2. Part 2: Remus's POV

Werewolf-Part 2-Remus' POV  
  
I knew what would happen to her after that. I went to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures to try and change their minds, but they had already decided. When I was in the trial I realised also, what date it was. The full moon. I had to get somewhere safe, away from people. I should have been brave enough to stay. I could have attacked the executioner once I had transformed, but I wasn't brave enough. I went down the road to the Leaky Cauldron, and asked if I could have a room. At least locked in there I couldn't hurt anyone. I just hoped Tom would understand about the furniture. The moon shone through the window, round and silver, I could never understand people who liked to look at the moon and stars. The moon was my enemy. I felt the familiar prickling sensation on my arms and legs as fur began to grow. Then I howled.  
  
In the morning I walked slowly down the stairs for breakfast, feeling terrible. I was exhausted and my arms were scratched and bitten. Just walking was painful. I sat down at a table and ordered breakfast. When Tom, who owned the pub served me he just put the plates on the table and walked away very quickly without a word. I hate all the predudice against me. I isn't my fault. I've got used to it though. I had almost forgotten about Harriet! I paid for my food and room, then ran out into the street. When I got to the Committee building I saw two deep scratches in the door. I immediately recognised that they were made by a werewolf. Harriet had escaped! I used a simple charm to point which direction Harriet had gone. I apparated a little way at a time, stopping to check I was still going the right way. Eventually I found her. She had stopped to try and wash the blood off her hands.  
  
"Harriet," I said and she looked up. "I can't believe it. You escaped from the Committee. You're alive!" Although Harriet had come to me for help only a few days ago it seemed as if I had known her for a long time. I suppose it was because we were both werewolves. It had always been something I had to keep secret: I had never met another one before.  
  
"I think we should go to see a friend of mine now." I paused. I had to explain to her, otherwise she would panic when she found out who he was. "He is erm.Sirius Black the escaped mass-murdered, except he's innocent really: it wasn't him". I expected Harriet to be confused and ask me how I could be certain that he was innocent, but she didn't. I suppose that after what the ministry tried to do to her she doesn't trust them to ever get anything right. I decided that as it was only the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures that we were hiding from, not one of the major departments, that it would be safe to use the public transport. Once we reached the main road I stuck out my right arm. Immediately the Knight Bus appeared, purple and gleaming.  
  
"Welcome to the Knight Bus, transport for any stranded witch or wizard. Where would you like to go?"  
  
"Hogsmeade please" I said quietly. I didn't want to attract attention to myself. I had been doing it for years. Of course it had never worked it the end.  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Remus." said James. "There's something me and Sirius have to ask you." I half guessed what it was.  
  
"I'll have to ask you plainly" said Sirius. "Remus- are you a werewolf." I hesitated, but now they had found out I couldn't really lie.  
  
"Yes." I replied. "I am."  
  
**********************************************  
  
When the Knight Bus stopped outside the Three Broomsticks I paid Stan Shunpike twenty-four sickles, and walked off. I waited until the bus had gone before turning around and heading to the cave where Sirius was hiding. Once I got there I called through the entrance,  
  
"It's me, Moony, can I come in? I've got someone with me if that's OK."  
  
"Fine. Come in!" I went into the cave. "Well who are you then?" Sirius asked Harriet.  
  
"I am Harriet Kestrel Rivers. Mr Lupin is helping me hide. And I already know who you are. You're Sirius Black, the escaped mass-murderer." Harriet plainly didn't particurlaly like Sirius then.  
  
"Yeah, well," replied Sirius, "It's a long story but I promise I won't kill you. OK?" He grinned mischeviously. He really hasn't changed much since school.  
  
"Did Remus say you were in hiding too?" he added more seriously.  
  
"Padfoot," I interrupted, "Harriet is a werewolf too. I'll tell you all about it later."  
  
"Ok, Harriet. Don't worry, I've got nothing against werewolves myself. Having been friends with Moony here for so long, how could I be! I won't tell anyone, so don't worry. Your secret is safe with me!" He winked, but it really wasn't amusing.  
  
"Sirius." I warned him. "It isn't funny." I remembered very well what it was like when someone else know your most terrible secrets.  
  
*******************************************************  
  
Snape. He'd been wondering for a long time where I disappeared to every month, and why. He was always trying to listen in on our conversations, and talk to the others, trying to get them to accidentally tell him. One day, after he'd been pestering Sirius, Sirius tried to pay him back.  
  
As I was in my transformed state, I wasn't really in a position to observe what happened. This is what James told me: Sirius told Snape that he could go down a tunnel to see were I went. He told him how to get past the Whomping Willow. Of course, if he'd got to me I would have seriously injured him at the very least. James went after him. He just got to the Shrieking Shack in time. Severus was opening the door at the end of the tunnel. James pushed him away and ran in front of him. I sprang forwards at James, and made a deep scratch in his arm with my hands-I mean claws-. That's what I feel worst about, with being a werewolf. At the full moon I would have killed my best friend if I had the chance. If he hadn't been so brave and quick I probably would have killed him or Snape, and then I would have been expelled, and possibly in the same situation as Harriet. Anyway, after that Snape knew what I was, and he threatened to tell everyone else. Luckily he didn't at first, he prefered to have power over me. He constantly spoke about it to frighten me. I was terrified of what everyone would say when they knew.  
  
"I can't believe Dumbledore let a werewolf come to Hogwarts" he said. "You're an embarassment to yourself, as well as everyone else". And it was true. I hated myself for being what I was. Finally after several days of this Sirius found out and told Dumbledore. Snape promised not to tell anyone but I didn't trust him.  
  
*****************************************************  
  
"Harriet," Sirius said. "My god-son is in the'back room'. He's a bit older than you. Why don't you go and talk to him?" He pointed to a narrow opening at the back of the cave and Harriet walked through it. 


	3. Part 3: Harry's POV

Werewolf-Part 3- Harry's POV  
  
I was at Sirius' cave in the 'back room' as he called it, which was just another small cave conneced to the main one by a narrow passage. Sirius had given me some old photos of my parents at school, but I wasn't really looking at them. I was thinking about Voldemort. he had returned. I wondered what Sirius and Professor Lupin had to do for Dumbledore. Sirius wouldn't tell me. I guessed that Snape was going to pretend to be a Death Eater and spy on Voldemort, and that Hagrid and Madame Maxime were going to get the giants on our side. Considering how tall they were it was hard to imagine what a full giant would look like. I was just beginning to daydream when a girl walked in. I vaguely recognised her. She was a Ravenclaw. A first or second year.  
  
"Hello." I said. I wasn't sure what to say. I couldn't understand why she would be here.  
  
"Hi," she said. "I'm Harriet. I've come here with Remus."  
  
"Remus?" I asked puzzled. "Oh, Professor Lupin! He was a teacher at Hogwarts, but surely that was before you came. How do you know him then? You aren't related are you?" I couldn't imagine Lupin with a family. He'd never said anything about a wife, and I couldn't imagine many people agreeing to marry a werewolf. Also Harriet didn't look anything like Professor Lupin. She had long black hair, blue eyes and oval shaped glasses. She was actually quite pretty.  
  
"Oh no!" She said. "We aren't related. He's just erm.helping me hide."  
  
"Hide?" I asked, confused. It seemed that I was going to have to ask all the questions to get any answers. She wasn't going to talk without me asking her things. "Hide from who?"  
  
"The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures." She replied.  
  
"The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures?" I asked. "What would they want with a witch like you? They only deal with Dangerous Magical Creatures!"  
  
"Well, I kind of fit that description." she paused, "Dangerous Magical Creatures, I mean"  
  
"You don't look that dangerous to me!" I joked. She smiled a little for a moment, but then stopped,  
  
"Don't trust what you can see Harry" She said. "I'm a werewolf. At the full moon I could kill you easily, not that I'd want to of course. I did once. That's why the Committee are after me." It all mad esense. She was with Lupin! He was a werewolf. I couldn't believe I hadn't guessed before.  
  
She llooked down and was very quiet, so I spoke. "But couldn't you just, sort of, not tell anyone? I mean, you must have managed to keep it from everyone that you're a.. a werewolf, so surely it would be possible to keep another secret."  
  
"It's not that simple Harry." She replied. "I was caught by the Committee and taken for a trial in London." I knew what kind of a 'trial' it would be. I knew. I had helped a hippogriff escape from the Committee. They don't care if the creature is innocent or not they just.I didn't really want to think about it. Not in connection with Harriet. "It was horrible." she continued. "But I can't help thinking, it's all my fault! I just feel so helpless. All because of one other poor being like me. They couldn't help it either. It wasn't their fault they bit me. I expect I'd feel even worse really, if I'd bitten somene and they survied. I would never want to cause anyone else what I have to put up with. It seems to me that it is worse than death. At least if you're dead you don't have to worry about anything. But I am glad I escaped really. Oh I don't know what I think! I'm tired and confused and." She sat down, with her head in her hands. "Of course, If I hadn't escaped I'd be dead by now." She was getting really carried away now, but I just sat and listened. People felt sorry for me, about my parents and everything, but really my problems were nothing compared with Harriet. I had though before that I was going to be killed. I was very lucky to even reach my 2nd birthday, and then I was nearly killed in my first, second and fourth year at Hogwarts. But I think it would be worse to be in Harriet's sitation, just having to wait.  
  
"Shall we go in and see what Sirius and Prof..er-Remus are doing." I asked, trying to make conversation. I was feeling really uncomfortable. We both walked through into the main cave to see Sirius and Professor Lupin.  
  
"Hi you two." said Sirius, cheerfully, which did not exactly match my mood! "Have you two been getting to know each other?"  
  
"Well, Harriet's told me a lot, you know, about being a werewolf and stuff. I haven't really been talking much. Anyway, most people seem to know as much about me as I know myself! I hate being famous." I said, though kind of half heartedly. I wasn't that bothered. I could cope with fame, though it wasn't something I wanted.  
  
"We'll have to discuss what Harriet will do for now. We can't keep her hidden forever, but she can't go to Hogwarts. Not with Lucius Malfoy's son there, and Dumbledore gone.  
  
"Dumbledore? Gone?" I shouted. "Where is he!?"  
  
  
  
"Where is Dumbledore?" I repeated, unable to take it in. I suddeny had a terrible thought: Dumbledore was very old, what if he'd died?  
  
"It's all my fault, Harry" said Harriet, stepping forwards. "He's gone to Azkaban, he was trying to save me." Save Harriet? How could that get him sent to Azkaban? It wasn't a criminal offense, to try and save a life, was it?  
  
"H...how come?" I muttered. "Why did they send him to Azkaban? I mean, Dumbledore's famous, he's the only one who can stop V...you-know-who.." Harriet looked down, ashamed and miserable.  
  
"They said he was going against the.. the Comitttee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, by trying to save me, but I think Fudge was looking for an excuse to get Dumbledore out the way. It seemsto me like they had an arguament."  
  
"Yeah." I said, "They did" 


	4. Part 4: Dumbledore's POV

I sat, on the floor of my cell in Azkaban, weak and tired. This would be the perfect time for Voldemort to strike, when his enemy was sitting, helpless, staring at a stone wall in Azkaban. I hated the place, and every time a dementor walked past, I shivered. I felt guilty. Harriet had come to me for help, to escape, and I had failed. There was a slim chance that she had escaped, but it was highly unlikely.  
  
A voice, a human voice startled me. I hadn't heard a human for three weeks and five days, since I had been imprisoned here. It was Wormtail, Pettigrew, Peter, the traitor who had betrayed Lily and James and left Harry an orphan, Peter who at school I had helped when he was teased and miserable. I hated him now. But what was he doing here? Then he walked closer and I saw him. He saw me to.  
  
"Master." he said  
  
"Not now, Wormtail," said the high. cold voice belonging to Voldemort. He had come to get the dementors to join him.  
  
"But Master," said Wormtail, "I think you will be interested to see this particular prisoner." He was looking very smug. He was sure his Master would be pleased with him.  
  
"Oh, yes" said Voldemort. "Well, I never expected to see you in here, Dumbledore. What's happened? Why is the mighty powerful mudblood loving fool in Azkaban?" He sneered at me, but I wasn't going to loose my temper. He wasn't worth it, I convinced myself.  
  
"It's none of your business" I said, trying to keep calm, but really I was terrified. People always said that I was so brave and fearless and wise, but really I was afraid. I just stayed calm, and tried to control the fear.  
  
" None of my business is it?" he sneered "Well, I've been waiting a long time to get you, Dumbledore" he pointed his wand at me and muttered "Crucio" Immediately I was in terrible pain. Finally he stopped, he beckoned over a dementor, who lowered its hood, revealing grey scabby skin, empty eye sockets and a huge mouth which seemed to constantly be sucking in air, never breathing out.  
  
I was weak, weaker than ever after the cruciatus curse, and I had no wand, but some magic does not need a wand and I was able to do a spell, which contacted the members of the Order of the Pheonix, an ancient society devoted to protecting the world against the dark forces. It also allowed my pheonix, Fawkes who had been with the Order for many years to enter Azkaban. Pheonixes can carry heavy loads and so I held tightly to a talon and was lifted over the heads of the shocked Wormtail and Voldemort. They were doubtlessly shocked that I escaped, but the answer to what wizards wear under their robes might also be a reasonable explaination!  
  
  
  
When I got back to my office Mundungus, Arabella, Sirius, and Remus were already waiting for me.  
  
"I'm sorry about calling this meeting at such short notice, but it's urgent! Voldemort has Azkaban!" They all gasped, and glanced around. "We have to protect Harry from him. He'll have to stay inside the school as much as possible, and Harriet will have to be kept safe in Hogwarts. Voldemort has always tried to twist D..." I had to stop myself saying 'Dark Creatures' "What are commonly believed to be evil creatures, onto his side" I knew what Remus was thinking. I remembered that day, when Voldemort had confronted him, but Remus had escaped....  
  
  
  
Remus Lupin was eighteen. He had recently left Hogw arts, where I was headmaster. He was one of my more brilliant pupils, he could have gone on to do great things, if it were not for the lycanthropy. Remus Lupin was a werewolf. I knew that werewolves were not evil, that what he did, what he was, at the full moon was nothing to do with the real Remus, but most wizards didn't understand. They prefered, and still do, to think of werewolves as monsters, creatures of nightmares, it made things simple: werewolves were bad, they took it as a fact. They were so blind, they couldn't see that Remus was a normal intelligent human being, most of the time.  
  
Lord Voldemort was one of the many who believed werewolves to be evil. He wasn't afraid of them, he knew he was evil himself, but he was proud of it. He believed that werewolves were naturally evil, that it was in their nature, even in their human form, so he wanted them to join him. Naturally some did, he convinced them that they were 'Dark Creatures' that he would let them have rights, like the other so called 'normal' wizards. Some believed him, and joined him, thinking they had no other alternative. Eventually he approached Remus Lupin. 


	5. Part 5: Remus's POV

Werewolf-Part 5-Remus's POV  
  
I remembered that terrible time in my life. My friends were still alive then, but Voldemort was growing ever more powerful, and we were all afraid. Voldemort wanted to kill James, who was already working for our old headmaster, Dumbledore, against Voldemort. All through our school years we had known about Voldemort, who didn't, but once we had grown up and left, what seemed to be another world, that we never would be part of, was reality.  
  
I was alone, I usually was in those times. Lily and James had to keep in hiding, and Sirius was always with them. None of us saw Peter much, he was always 'visiting his mum' and, idiotically, we believed him. Now I know the truth, it seems impossible that we were so blind. Anyway, I was walking from my house to see Sirius, except he was rarely in. It was early September, just under two months before Lily and James were killed. It was about seven o'clock, so not completely dark, just a little. I heard the swish of a cloak behind me. When I turned round there was a man, but hardly a man…he was nothing like anyone I had ever seen before. He had a pale face, red eyes and slits for nostrils like some kind of snake. It was Lord Voldemort!  
  
"Remus Lupin,"  
  
"Keep away from me!" I panicked, moving backwards, as if just being near to Voldemort could taint me with evil.  
  
"I just wondered if you would be interested in joining me…" Voldemort said, calmly. "You are a Dark Creature, after all."  
  
"NO!" I screamed. "I am not evil! Werewolves are not all evil! I am just like any other human…most of the time." I was just repeating what Dumbledore had told me many times when I was lonely and depressed in my early years at Hogwarts.  
  
"Most of the time, exactly, you are not human. You are a beast, a freak. That is what other wizards see you as. They hate you! They're afraid of you! That's how they think of me too. When I have taken over the whole country, the world even, I will make sure that werewolves have rights! You will be rewarded!"  
  
"I will not join you!" Remus cried. "You want to kill my friends!"  
  
"Hmmm… yes, I see why you are a Griffindor. I thought it was unusual. I would have expected a werewolf to be in Slytherin.. But, your 'friends' how do they feel about you? If they were such special friends, surely you would not be walking alone.  
  
"Werewolf filth!" Voldemort screeched, in his high, cold voice, "I am the heir of Slytherin, I will rule the world. A Griffindor" He said the name of his rival house with contempt. "Won't stop me!" He raised his wand above his head and prepared to curse me" Avada Ke-" But I had gone. I had disapparated to directly outside the Hogwarts grounds, as you couldn't apparate in there, and ran up to the castle. I knew that Voldemort wouldn't try to go into Hogwarts, just to get one young man.  
  
I was safe, but I couldn't help thinking about what Voldemort had said. I was a freak, a monster, a werewolf. My friends probably were afraid of me, I thought, that's why they left me out. I knew Peter had always been a little worried around me, but that was what Peter was like. I was uncomfortable around Peter, knowing he didn't trust me, because of something which was not my fault.  
  
When I got in, I spoke to Dumbledore, and told him what had happened. He told me that I should tell James, Sirius and Peter. I did (reluctantly) and, as I had expected, they were horrified. I see now, years later that Sirius suspected me. Him and James exchanged strange looks, when I first explained about Voldemort.  
  
  
  
They were a little worried, but James soon acted normal, and Sirius was acting the same as he usually did, after a few days, so I suppose James convinced him that I was trustworthy. I wouldn't have been able to bear it if they hadn't trusted me. James, Sirius and Peter were my only friends, and I wasn't likely to find anyone else that understanding. I mean, how many people would want a werewolf for a friend? But it had happened, and I knew that Voldemort would try it again, possibly with Harriet. I couldn't risk that happening.  
  
"You're absolutely right about Harriet" I replied to Dumbledore. "But where can she go? It's not as if she can attend Hogwarts properly, you'll just get caught and Harriet really will be…killed this time. They won't let her escape a third time!"  
  
"Yes, but what can we do? She isn't safe from Voldemort out in a cave, like you, Sirius, and I can't think of any other suggestions."  
  
"I know!" said Mundungus Fletcher. "She can come to Hogwarts, she'll be perfectly safe here. But she can't go to her lessons in case Malfoy finds out. Nobody will know where she is if she stays hidden here. And the teachers can help her keep up with her education. I mean, the Ministry may disagree, but I think even a werewolf should be well educated.  
  
"What do you mean 'even' a werewolf. It shouldn't be a special case, like something unusual, and freakish. Look at me. I am a werewolf. I am human. That is what I have to tell myself day after day. I have to convince myself that whatever else I may be I am human!" I got really wound up. I knew Mundungus was better than most wizards at accepting our kind, but nobody seems to stop slightly fearing me, even when hey know and trust me. It's just what wizards are taught. I was told that werewolves were bad, and vicious, when I was a small child, until I was bitten, when everyone told me I couldn't help it, and that I was normal the rest o the time. It was very confusing.  
  
I was out in the woods playing hide and seek with my older brother, Romulus. It got dark, but that just made the game more exciting. I was only five. I couldn't see, because of the trees, but it was a full moon. I heard a low, mournful howl, and wondered what it was. Probably an owl, I thought, but still I was scared. I was only five. Then I heard Romulus scream, which really scared me, and I looked around for him. The screaming stopped, but the howling continued. Suddenly I saw a greyish brown hairy face push through the bushes, and straight at me.  
  
That was all I remembered, until I woke up in the morning. I didn't know where I was. Everywhere was white, and there were rows and rows of beds. I had a bandage on my left leg, which was very painful  
  
"Good morning Remus. I hope you are feeling a little better today." said a woman in white robes.  
  
"Y-y-yes." I replied. "Who are you?"  
  
"I am Dr Gibson. This is St Mungo's hospital." I noticed that my parents were nearby, and my mother was trying not to cry.  
  
"What's happening? Why am I here? I'm not ill am I? I don't feel sick!"  
  
Dr Gibson pulled a strange face, and took in a deep breath. I see now what was happening, but I was only five, and didn't understand.  
  
"Remus, you see that bandage on your leg." I nodded. "It is a bite, you have been bitten by a werewolf. When someone is bitten by-"  
  
I gasped. I already knew. Most wizarding children knew about werewolves, and now I understood, that since I had been bitten, I was one. Dr Gibson continued speaking.  
  
"They become a werewolf them self. You are a-"  
  
"Werewolf." I finished. "I know that. I'm not stupid Doctor. I know about werewolves." It seemed strange. I felt as though I was exactly the same person as I had been the day before, but someone was telling me that I wasn't, that I was a werewolf. I didn't believe him. And I told her so. "I am not a werewolf. They're bad, monsters. I am not a hairy monster, OK!?" 


	6. Part 6: Harriet's POV

1 Werewolf-Part 6 Harriet's POV  
  
  
  
. There I was, stuck in a lonely tower, with nobody to talk to and nothing to do. Yes, of course I was glad I was alive, but it's not much off a life, being guarded so carefully. I knew it was for my own good, and I didn't want to get caught again, and executed, but you'd think they'd let someone come and talk to me! Not Danielle. She was my best friend, but I was sure she wasn't now.  
  
I had read the Daily Prophet, and I was in it. If Danielle had read it, she would know what I was-am. She'd know I'm a werewolf! She must hate me, I thought. That was why I had never told her. After all, she was, like me, a pureblood witch, and had probably been brought up to hate and fear 'Dark Creatures' like myself.  
  
And it wasn't exactly written in a good way. If I had told her myself, she might have been able to accept it, but as it was…  
  
[u]'[b]Murderous Beast Escapes![/b]'[/u]  
  
'[b]Werewolf escapes from Committee for the Disposal of dangerous Creatures, immediately before it was to be executed. Members of the public are advised to keep away, and if they see the creature, to contact the Ministry of Magic at once.'[/b]  
  
'Most people thought Harriet Rivers (see picture above) was a normal, human girl. Some of her 'friends' at Hogwarts still may be unaware, that someone, who they trusted, was actually a vicious monster. She was supposed to be executed on the first of September, after murdering a muggle boy, but the execution date was brought forwards because they had to catch her after she escaped the first time Really, these people don't seem capable of dealing with the monsters they work with. If you see the werewolf, contact the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures or the Ministry of Magic as soon as possible, so it can be caught and destroyed as soon as possible'  
  
I didn't even read the whole article. I tried to convince myself that it wasn't worth it, that it didn't matter, but really I spent most of the day imagining what everyone would be saying.  
  
I had a few visitors from time to time, who tried to take my mind off it, but no one could think what to say, so the visits were as bad as when I was alone. I had an owl with me, but I didn't think of using it, until a few days after I read that article. I kept thinking about my friend. Then I had an idea. I wrote a letter to her.  
  
'Danielle,  
  
I'm safe, but I won't tell you where, in case you're not my friend any more. Even if you aren't, can you please read this book, and send it back. The owl will find me.  
  
~Harriet~'  
  
I put the letter in an envelope, and tied it to my owl's leg. Then I picked up a battered book, which my parents had given me after I was bitten. 'Hairy Snout, Human Heart' I wrapped it up, and tied that to my owl, who flew out of the open window.  
  
Immediately I wished I hadn't sent it. It was stupid. She would probably tear my letter and book into hundreds of pieces. She wouldn't trust me, a werewolf. I wasn't bothered about the book; I knew most of it off by heart anyway, but if only she would read it. I was sure that if she read it, she would understand.  
  
'Please read it' I said, though she would never hear it. Fingers crossed. 


	7. Part 7: Danielle's POV

1.1 Werewolf-Part 7-Danielle's POV  
  
I couldn't believe it when I read in the Daily Prophet that my best friend was a werewolf. At first I was just like, 'Oh My God! My friend's a werewolf!' I didn't really think about what I was going to do, or if I'd still be her friend. It wasn't a possibility really. I mean, she wasn't there for me to be friends, or not friends, with. So I just tried to ignore it. Everyone at Hogwarts was talking about it, and me, because I had been her best friend. The thing that bothered me most is that the article said she'd killed someone. The Harriet I knew wouldn't have killed someone, or at least, I didn't think she would. I was kind of scared too. I'd spent a whole year sharing a dormitory with a [b]werewolf[/b] ! I couldn't believe I hadn't realised it. She had disappeared a lot, with excuses of migraines, or sick relatives to visit. I never even noticed that it was the full moon every time. And every time I asked about her, or her relatives, she had all the answers, she had something to say, to cover it all up. She could have told me!  
  
But mostly I tried to forget it. She wasn't there anymore. I hoped she was safe, because although I wasn't sure I wanted to be her friend, or did I mean '[u]its[/u] friend'- I was never sure, I didn't want her (it?) to be killed. I tried to tell myself it was nothing to do with me. But then I got the letter.  
  
At breakfast in the Great Hall, the post arrived. About a hundred owls all swooped in, and one started coming towards me. I recognised it; it was Harriet's owl! I took off the letter, and the parcel and the owl flew away. I hesitated before opening the letter, but eventually I slit open the envelope and read it.  
  
'Danielle,  
  
I'm safe, but I won't tell you where, in case you're not my friend any more. Even if you aren't, can you please read this book, and send it back. The owl will find me.  
  
~Harriet~'  
  
The handwriting was shakier than her usual writing, as if her hand had been trembling, like she was scared. My hand was trembling as I read it, and I knew I was scared. It was stupid really, being scared of reading a letter, because it was written by a werewolf.  
  
So, the parcel was a book, and she wanted it back, so I couldn't be [i]dangerous[/i] or anything. Slowly I took off the paper, carefully, peeling off the spellotape, instead of just ripping it all off. It was a very scrappy looking book, as if it had been read a lot, and the title in half worn-off golden letters on the spine said 'Hairy Snout, Human Heart'. I read the back, and decided to give it a try. I loved reading, and even if it wasn't that great, it'd be something to do. None of the other Ravenclaw girls wanted anything to do with me, as if they thought lycanthropy was contagious, like because I had been friends with a werewolf, there must be something wrong with me too. So I didn't have anything to do, or anyone to talk to.  
  
Two-and-a-half hours later I was still reading. I skipped dinner, to carry on reading it. I had nearly finished, and I now understood why Harriet had chosen it to send me. If that was what life was really like for werewolves, I felt really sorry for Harriet, and ashamed. I felt ashamed for myself, and for all the witches and wizards, with their prejudices and hatred for werewolves. I understood that werewolves weren't evil, that they weren't monsters, but they just had problems, like it was a terrible disease that only affected them once a month. I turned over the last page. THE END. I flipped it shut. It was a great book. It was well written, descriptive, moving, [i]real[/i] . In fact, it was possibly one of the best books I'd ever read. I turned it over and looked at the cover, to see who'd written it. There was no author's name. Just the title, 'Hairy Snout, Human Heart'. Nothing. I looked on the inside of the cover, and where usually you find a couple of paragraphs about the author, it just said  
  
'The author of this book, 'Hairy Snout, Human Heart', wishes to be anonymous. The reason for this is, that it is a true story. All the events are real, though character names have been changed, for privacy.'  
  
I wondered if the anonymous author had written anything else, they should have. I was surprised I hadn't heard of the book before, it was so good, it should have been a best seller. Then I realised. No one would want to buy a book by a werewolf. I wouldn't have wanted to before, probably. I never though of werewolves as people, just as animals. I could see why Harriet had kept it a secret.  
  
There was this new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher too. Apparently he taught here the year before I came to Hogwarts: Professor Lupin. He's a really nice teacher, but people say he's a werewolf too. They said that Professor Snape told everyone that Lupin was a werewolf, when he was here before, but he's come back because of You-Know-Who. All of my year, and lots of the older ones too (except the Slytherins) had been saying he couldn't be a werewolf, because he was so quiet, and polite, not at all wild or dangerous. And then a lot of the Griffindors said that there was nothing wrong with werewolves anyway. I suppose [b]Harriet[/b] did tend to be a bit, well, unpredictable. I mean, if one of the Slytherins called her, or anything, she just slapped them, or cursed them. But if Harriet had turned out to be a werewolf, maybe Professor Lupin really [i]was[/i] one too.  
  
I decided to send a letter, replying to Harriet, as well as returning the book. I tried to be as truthful as possible in the letter, but I didn't want to offend her.  
  
'Dear Harriet,  
  
Thanks for the book, it was really good, and I enjoyed it a lot'-  
  
No, I couldn't send that, it sounded wrong. 'enjoyed it a lot' I mean, it just sounded as if the book meant nothing. I tore off that piece of parchment, and tried again:  
  
'Harriet,  
  
Thank-you for lending me the book. I have read it, and I can see why you sent it me. I am glad you are safe, and I understand why you thought I might not want to be your friend, but it doesn't matter, I am still your friend. Please keeps writing to me, I miss you loads.  
  
~Danielle~'  
  
I didn't mention about her being a werewolf, or anything like that. I was trying to forget that part, and just treat her how I did before. I felt sorry for her, but I knew I mustn't make it seem like I pitied her. I had to think of her as the same person I was friends with last year, because she hadn't changed. I had changed, by knowing what she was.  
  
I sent the letter, and the book back, with my owl, hoping the letter would be OK.  
  
Everything went fine, for a few weeks. I wrote to Harriet, she wrote back. Neither of us ever mentioned her [i]condition[/i] . We were both trying to pretend everything was OK.  
  
  
  
'Danielle,  
  
I'm so glad you're still my friend. I miss having nobody to talk to. Thank- you for getting my book back so quickly, did you manage to read it all in one day? It took me over a week the first time I read it, though I was only seven.  
  
It's very lonely here; I have a few people who come to visit me, but not very often.  
  
~Harriet~'  
  
  
  
Only seven when she read it? She must have been bitten when she was seven, or younger! That was terrible. I had thought of how it must have been for her at Hogwarts, but as a young child… How did she cope? I could never have done that, for six years, having to lie, and cover up the same horrible secret. Pretending everything was OK.  
  
Well, everything was [i]OK[/i] now, but not great. I mean, it's not exactly ideal having to write to your friend, because she's in hiding, and can't tell you where she is.  
  
  
  
'Harriet,  
  
I was just wondering where you are. Do you think I'd be able to meet up with you sometime? It's just, I don't have anyone to talk to either, because you are my only real friend. Now you've gone, nobody talks to me. I understand if you can't tell me where you're hiding, but if you can, I'd like to see you.  
  
~Danielle~'  
  
  
  
In the end I asked her where she was, and to my surprise, she said she was [b]at Hogwarts[/b] . I wrote back.  
  
  
  
'Harriet,  
  
You're actually here? At Hogwarts! Why haven't I seen you? I know it's hard, with you having to stay hidden, but surely I can see you. Whereabouts are you exactly?  
  
~Danielle~'  
  
  
  
'Danielle,  
  
I'm in the staff tower. You know, it's like a separate house, where all the teachers have bedrooms, and the staff room and stuff. There's a spare room at the top, which they put me in, and another smaller dungeon at the bottom of the tower where I go ########### sometimes. I'll ask if you can visit me there, but I don't know. Nobody knows I've been writing to you, and I don't know if they'd approve.  
  
I'll try.  
  
~Harriet~'  
  
  
  
That was the only letter where she mentioned about being a werewolf, and she crossed it out, but I could still tell what it said.  
  
So I hoped she'd be able to arrange with the teachers, so I could visit her. After a couple of days, something went wrong.  
  
I'd been keeping the letters in the top drawer next to my bed, with my books. In the middle of the night I woke up, and Orla Quirke was standing there, looking through my drawer.  
  
"What are you doing?" I snapped at her.  
  
"Sorry," she whispered. "I wanted to borrow a book, I spilled ink all over my copy of 'The Standard Book of Spells, grade 2', and I was trying to get my charms homework done, it's due in tomorrow morning."  
  
"Oh, OK." I muttered. "You can borrow it," and slowly I ignored the sound of quill scratching on parchment, and fell asleep.  
  
"Danielle?" She asked, on the way down to breakfast. "Have you heard from [i]Harriet[/i] lately?" I gasped, and spun round.  
  
"What-?"  
  
She interrupted me. "You know, it could be dangerous, keeping in contact with a [i]werewolf[/i] . It's already killed one person, how do you know you aren't next?"  
  
"Harriet is not an 'it', she's a human." I glared. "You knew her last year, how can you speak about her like that?"  
  
"The Daily Prophet didn't call her human." She said, smiling. "Though they did offer a one hundred galleon reward for anyone who told them where she was."  
  
"You wouldn't do that!" I gasped. "You know what they'd do…"  
  
"Oh yes. But does it really matter? They do the same to hippogriffs and manticores, so what's the difference?"  
  
"Harriet is a person, like you, like me. If anyone tried to execute you, people would do something to stop it. Just because she got bitten, it doesn't make her an animal. Only once a month. She's as normal as anyone else is the rest of the time. Don't you get it? She isn't an animal, it's like a disease, or a curse, or something, that only affects her at the full moon. Please don't tell anyone. If you help them find her, that's murder!"  
  
"I'll think about it." She said. Then she just walked off, and I sank to the floor and sobbed with my head resting on my knees. I didn't go down to breakfast. In the end I ran back to the dormitory and wrote a letter to Harriet.  
  
'Harriet,  
  
I'm so sorry, Orla saw your letters, and she's threatening to tell. Be careful, and I'll try to persuade her not too. It's my fault; I should have destroyed the letters, or something. I'm really sorry. I hope you'll be OK.  
  
~Danielle~' 


	8. Part 8: Harriet's POV

Werewolf-Part 8-Harriet's POV  
  
When I received Danielle's letter, telling me that Orla knew I was here, I was very worried, but I had other things, just as stressful, to deal with. Nobody came to see me until about lunchtime, and it was Professor Snape, bringing me the Wolfsbane potion. Judging by the look on his face I could tell he was in a particularly bad mood, but with a slight twisted smile. He put the goblet down on the table, and swept out of the room quickly, before I had a chance to tell him about the danger Harriet had warned me of. I knew I should drink the potion immediately, so I walked over, and reached out to pick up the goblet.  
  
If I hadn't been worrying already, I would have probably realised, before my hand even came into contact with the goblet. As it was, I was surprised when I touched it, and suddenly had to withdraw my hand from the burning pain in my fingers. Silver. I called Professor Snape some exceedingly rude names, under my breath, which I will not repeat here. No wonder he was smiling. It was his idea of a joke; give the werewolf its potion in a silver goblet. Very funny-I don't think! So what was I supposed to do now? If I'd got all my school stuff with me I could have used my protective gloves, but they were at home somewhere. I was locked in the room, because Dumbledore was worried I might try to sneak out, and end up getting caught again, so I couldn't tell anyone. I decided to write a letter to Danielle.  
  
  
  
'Danielle,  
  
Can you help me? Professor Snape's given me this potion I have to take, every full moon, but the evil git's put it in a silver goblet. I expect you know I can't touch it, so I've got problems. It's really dangerous if I don't take the potion, so can you please tell Professor Dumbledore, or someone, before night time.  
  
Urgently.  
  
~Harriet~'  
  
  
  
It sounds really stupid, to be so worried about it, but it was important. That potion made me feel safer, knowing exactly what I was doing, and being able to control myself. I tried to wrap my hands in a sheet and pick it up, but the sheet was too thin, and I still burned my hands.  
  
I had really had enough of Snape by then. I was fed up of being in hiding. I was just fed up, basically. I was going to get out of there, right at that very moment.  
  
As soon as Snape had left the room, I picked up a magazine from the floor. It was 'Teenage Witch Weekly'. I didn't like it much, but Danielle had brought it with her, and it was something to do. Anyway, it was going to be useful. I opened it at the third page, it showed you how to magically dye your hair blonde. Under normal circumstances, there's no way I would even think of dying my hair-especially not blonde- but I needed a disguise.  
  
"Eurgh!" I shuddered, looking in the mirror. Bleached hair did tend to look a bit on the yellow side, and this was no exception. But the good thing, was that I didn't look much like myself at all. Which was, of course, the whole idea. I wanted to go back to London, to try and get people on my side and be allowed to live normally. I can't say I could clear my name, because I'm not innocent. I committed the crime, but that wasn't my fault, and at the very least I should be treated like any other witch who killed someone. I could probably get there, as long as no-one recognised me.  
  
I rushed down the spiral staircase, carrying my broomstick, which had been left at Hogwarts when I had arrived with Remus Lupin before I was captured again, and when I reached the bottom, I pulled out my wand. "Alohomora," I whispered, and the lock clicked. I opened the door, and flew off.  
  
Everyone said I was a good flier. I was hoping to be put on the Ravenclaw quidditch team in my second year, but now that was out of the question. If I could go back now, they still wouldn't put me on the team, because they wouldn't trust me. I was out of practice at flying, since I had been in that tower for a while. Still, I could fly well, and soon got back to normal, enjoying the feeling of freedom, after weeks at Hogwarts. I was on my way back to London. I knew it was stupid, that I could be caught, and that it would be too much to expect to escape a third time. But although I knew this, the other part of my brain was telling me that I had to have a go.  
  
It was getting dark, so as I flew over Yorkshire, I stopped. I had chosen a bad time to leave, because it was the full moon, but as long as I found a place away from people, I'd be OK. I found a run down house, which obviously no-one lived in, so I opened the door, and went in. I pushed stones and furniture against the door so I wouldn't be able to get out once I was transformed. That took a good forty-five minutes, shifting heavy objects across the room. Then I sat down and waited. That was the worst part, sitting and waiting, not knowing exactly when it will happen.  
  
I shudder, and tense up, as the light of the full moon shines through a cracked window pane. I look up, and see the cool silvery light, covering everything. I remember feeling the fur growing on my hands, quickly spreading to my arms and legs, and the bones in my legs twist and contort into different positions. After that, I don't remember anything.  
  
  
  
I groaned, and sat up quickly. I had been lying painfully on my left arm which was now covered in scratches. I looked down at my arms and legs, and shrugged. I'd had worse injuries than this before, and the marks healed fairly quickly. The only scar that really stood out was the Bite, on the back of my right leg, a crescent shape of tooth marks. I stood up and stretched, before I grabbed my broomstick and flew off again.  
  
I reached London, in the afternoon, and I was really hungry, I hadn't eaten for ages. I went into a muggle bakery, and bought a sandwich and a bottle of some fizzy drink, which tasted very sweet and sickly.  
  
Once I had eaten and drunk, I had nothing holding me back from going back to wizarding London, apart from my fear. I was terrified that I would be caught. I could imagine Dumbledore, looking sad and shaking his head, knowing that I had caused my own execution, by being so reckless, and stupid. I didn't have the same adrenaline rush I had felt the day before, and I was more nervous. Pulling up my coat collar to cover my face as much as possible, I walked into the Leaky Cauldron. I paused in the doorway, waiting for the screams, that would surely come if anyone recognised me. Nothing happened. A few people glanced up as I entered the room, but then looked down again. I walked straight through the bar, to the bins at the back, tapped the bricks, and the gateway opened. 


	9. Part 9: Elizabeth's POV

Werewolf-Part 9-Elizabeth's POV I was sure that I recognised her, as soon as she opened the door and stepped into the room. Her piercing blue eyes with long black lashes seemed especially familiar, but I couldn't think who she was, at first. Her hair was the wrong colour. It didn't match her eyelashes. It was so unnaturally blonde that it was almost white, very different to my own, darker, golden form of blonde.  
  
Of course, she wouldn't have hair like min, no-one does. My hair is really a dark blonde, but it looks more silvery grey. I'm not old, that isn't the reason. I'm only fourteen. Or one hundred and twenty-six, depending on how you look at it. Anyway, I look fourteen, despite my silvery hair, which is also translucent, and hasn't grown for the last one hundred and twelve years, or maybe less. Someone once told me, years ago, that the hair on a body keeps growing, long after they're dead and buried. Just thinking about this makes me shudder, and lift my icy translucent hand, up to my icy, translucent neck. If I could, I think I'd be sick. I don't like thinking about corpses, especially not my own.  
  
Where was I? Oh yes, the girl. She went up to the desk, and spoke to the receptionist, Mrs Skidmore. At first I couldn't hear what was going on, but I don't think I missed anything important. When I had glided over there, they had barely begun their conversation.  
  
"I need to speak to the head of the Committee. She said, fairly calmly. "Please." She added, as an afterthought, thought it was obvious from her tone of voice that she hated the Committee. She was still very polite to Mrs Skidmore.  
  
"Er, he's very busy, dear," Mrs Skidmore said slowly. "Is it important?" She spoke clearly, pronouncing every word, as if she was talking to a young child who couldn't understand her easily. She had a habit of treating people who were younger than her like babies. I never spoke to her, in fact I never spoke to anyone at the committee, I hate them. But I think that Mrs Skidmore was fairly nice, apart from that.  
  
"Yes, it is important." Said the girl. "In fact, it's a matter of [i]life or death[/i]." She paused for a moment, as if she wasn't sure what to say. Then she pulled a face, and said, abruptly: "It's about Harriet Rivers."  
  
Mrs Skidmore looked blank for a moment, then recognised the name. I knew whom she was talking about, immediately. Harriet was a girl who had escaped from the Committee, that is, the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, over a month ago, and no-body had seen her since. I say girl, though most people wouldn't, because I understand her, more than anyone else could, even though I don't know her. I saw her briefly, both times. I nearly went to talk to her on the second occasion, but at the time she was sitting in a cage, sobbing, so I didn't think it would be the best time to go and talk to her. I never know what to say to people when they're crying, because I've never been the sensitive type. Of course, I haven't cried for 112 years- but that'd be impossible, I mean, how could I?- Even before then I hadn't cried since I was about ten and I just don't know what to do. Then again, the first time would probably have been even worse, because she didn't know what was happening. I couldn't have spoken to her, and acted as if everything was OK. I knew exactly what was likely to happen to her, because I had experienced it myself, and it was not pleasant. I keep doing this don't I? I go off on the subject of death, and corpses, and before you know it I've been here for hours!  
  
Anyway, the girl obviously had some information about Harriet, which I guessed would tell them where she was, so they could go and get her. hoped not, but it was the obvious explaination. I always said to my friends at Hogwarts that I was a pessimist. Then Rebekah would tell me off for using long words. One strange thing was that this girl had exactly the same eyes as Harriet. That was who she reminded me of. In fact, apart from the hair (Harriet's was jet black) they could have been twins, or even the same person.  
  
"I suppose you can go through, then." Said Mrs Skidmore. "it's the first door on the left, she pointed down a corridor.  
  
"Thank-you." The girl said, quietly. She turned round, and started walking, very slowly, in the direction that the receptionist had indicated. Suddenly, I think I went ever so slightly insane. I swooped, yes swooped, across the hall, and stood in front of her, blocking her path, trying to look as solid as possible.  
  
"Are you going to tell them where Harriet is?" I asked. I knew I wouldn't be able to do anything, if she said yes. I mean, I could try to convince her not to, but physically, I was helpless. She looked as if she was trying to suppress both a giggle, and also, not to cry.  
  
"No," She was practically hyperventilating. "I'm trying to make the Committee change their minds about .her." I smiled. I was certain it wouldn't work. I knew very well just how much the Committee, and indeed, the whole wizarding world, hated werewolves.  
  
"Who are you." I* asked, curiously. "Your remind me of Harriet, I saw her briefly when she was here, you know." She rocked backwards and forwards, like house elf, trying to decide whether they should do something or not. In the end, she decided that she trusted be, and leant forwards, She cupped her hands, and whispered something in my ear.  
  
"I am Harriet!"  
  
I had to stop myself from shouting out, instead, I contented myself, with a loud angry whisper. "WHAT?!" I gasped. "What the hell are you doing here? You could be caught, and killed!" I forced myself not to shake my head so vigourously, because somehow, I felt that under the circumstances, it would not be very tactful to Harriet if my head fell of. The thought of it makes me sick, though I'm used to it. "Anyway, being alive, even as a werewolf, is preferable to being dead, even though I'm not a werewolf now."  
  
"They don't transform as ghosts?" she asked. I nodded. Then she realised what she'd said. "Ohhhh." she looked awkward. "You... you're a, I mean, you were a werewolf too?"  
  
"Yes." I nodded. "Death is the only cure for lycanthropy. Silver bullet, silver knife, silver axe." I closed my eyes for a second, feeling my eyes tingle, as if I was going to cry. Well I mean, I never properly cried, but I often had tears in my eyes. Harriet noticed. "It's OK." I said, slipping into the modern language which I had gradually adjusted to, over time. "Ghosts can't cry."  
  
"I'm going in there now, anyway." she said. "I'm fed up of having to hide. There's a chance that I can be pardoned, and maybe change the laws altogether, and save other people like me." She strongly emphasised the word people. "Or, I might not be able to do anything, in which case, I lose everything." She paused. "Oh, one more thing, if you don't mind me asking." I nodded, she looked as if she thought I wouldn't want to answer whatever question she had to ask, but I couldn't think of anything that I wouldn't answer. Well, not anything relevant, that she would ask. "Did it hurt a lot?"  
  
I shivered, even though my 'body' temperature was always colder than the air, thinking of the cold, yet burning sensation of a silver blade on my bare neck. To a werewolf, silver causes more pain than even the Cruciatus curse, but once it penetrates the skin, it kills more quickly than any normal axe would. "Yes." I told her frankly. "A lot." I wanted to scare her, to stop her going through with this crazy idea which would surely get her killed. But I saw her face when I said that, and she looked really terrified, but I could tell, by something in her eyes, that no matter what, she was going to do it anyway. I decided I might as well comfort her a little. "It'll be over quickly though." I added.  
  
"OK then." She said, chewing her bottom lip nervously. "Bye..er..?"  
  
"Elizabeth." I said.  
  
"Bye then, Elizabeth." I felt sad, and she must have noticed that, because she added, "Don't worry, I'll be alright." She turned, and rapped clearly on the door three times with her fist.  
  
"Come in." announced a deep voice, that filled me with dread.  
  
She opened the door and stepped in, but before she closed the door, I followed. 'After all,' I thought, 'They can't kill me twice.'  
  
"What do you want?" Said the head of the Committee, coldly, before he even looked up from his desk. "And you-werewolf ghost- get out of my office!"  
  
I was about to argue back to him, in a way I would never have been allowed to in my own time, but I thought it would be better to stay calm, and not make him angry, which would only make things worse. I moved to the back of the room near the door, and amazingly, he left it at that.  
  
"Well?" he said to Harriet, "What do you want."  
  
"I wanted to.er.um." she hadn't thought of what to say. "She pulled a battered book out of her pocket and said, "I wanted to ask you if you'd read this."  
  
He read the title out loud. "'Hairy snout, Human heart'?" he sneered, then laughed. "Do you think I would read that? It was written by a werewolf, you know, a monster." He glanced in my direction, and I winced. The old insults still hurt a lot.  
  
Harriet continued speaking. "I just wondered how you can deal with werewolves here, and send them to be executed, without having read this, without understanding them."  
  
"Why do you care?" he asked. "The more werewolves we destroy, the safer the world is and you are less likely to be bitten. Why does it matter to you?"  
  
She bit her lip, and a silly thought popped into my head, as they always do in serious moments. I thought 'Oh no, her lip's been bitten by a werewolf!' why wasn't funny. It's a terrible joke, and it's a good thing I didn't say it.  
  
"It's because of that girl." She said. "Harriet Rivers." 'All true so far' I thought. "I read in the newspaper about her, and what you will to to her if you catch her, and I think that's disgusting."  
  
"You know nothing about the situation." He said firmly. "That werewolf is a murdering beast, and must be destroyed!"  
  
"But she's a girl-like me," Persisted Harriet. "Even if she is a werewolf as well. I don't think she could control what she was doing. I doubt she meant to kill anyone."  
  
I could see that if Harriet kept on at this rate, she really wouldn't be in control of herself, again, and might end up revealing who she was. I decided it was time I had my say.  
  
"She's right." I said, stepping forwards, feeling braver and sort of more solid than I had done for a long time. "I am a human being.or at least I was, and now I'm a ghost, I have human form. If I wasn't human, surely I wouldn't look like this." This was nothing like the grand confrontation I had imagined and longed for over the past hundred years or so, but it still felt good! "Killing me like they did was evil. The same for all the others like me who were executed -murdered! I hadn't committed any crime. I had done nothing." I wasn't sure why I was going on about that, because it was too late to change what had happened in the past, though I'd love to see them apologise to me! I changed the subject to Harriet. "And it's just as bad if you kill Harriet, because although she did kill someone, she couldn't help it. And she's going to feel guilty though she shouldn't. because it's a natural Besides, I can't believe you're allowed to do this. In my time it was more acceptable, because capital punishment still existed in Britain, but times have changed. It can't be allowed!"  
  
"It is perfectly legal." He said, with an expression on his face which showed clearly that he did not want to talk to me. "Werewolves aren't classed as humans, so the Ministry fully supports out policy to execute any werewolves who kill someone. We've only failed to meet our target once in the last 20 years, and it will not happen again.  
  
Harriet looked as if she was about to start crying, and I probably would have done, if I hadn't grown used to over a century of this kind of treatment. I still hated it so much. Being called 'it', an object that couldn't understand anything they said, and now, just a statistic, a target of killing to be met. I saw we weren't going to change anything here, so I decided to take Harriet somewhere else, where they might help.  
  
"Come on." I whispered. "It's a waste of time."  
  
"But." She started to protest.  
  
"Don't worry-I've got a better idea." 


	10. Part 10: Harriet's POV

Werewolf - Part 10 - Harriet's POV  
  
Being Division - Werewolf Support Services said the small sign I was staring up at. "So, you think they can help us here, do you?" I said to Elizabeth.  
  
"Well I don't know do I?" she said edgily. "It didn't exist a century ago. You're luckier than you think. Come on." We went through the door.  
  
Inside, the building reminded me of a small muggle doctors surgery. There was a waiting area, with the usual ridiculously low seats, with itchy, hairy covers, and a magazine rack, filled with the kind of magazines that nobody ever wants to read. We went past this area, and straight on to the reception desk. Again, it was perfectly normal, until I was asked for my name and Werewolf Registry number. I asked if I could be anonymous. I didn't want to reveal who I was, until I could be sure they wouldn't turn me in to the Committee. As there were no people waiting, I was sent straight through.  
  
I stepped into the office, which was occupied by a woman in her early twenties, wearing a name badge with 'Natasha' written on it. I decided to say exactly what I meant to say, but still be cautious.  
  
"What's your opinion on the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, and what they do to werewolves who've killed someone?" I said quickly, without pausing for breath.  
  
"Oh, it's terrible." She said, and then looked sad for a moment, as if she was remembering something. I also saw her glance at the silvery line around Elizabeth's neck, which I had tried not to look at. "I can't believe that they can get away with it. They shouldn't. Of course I'd be scared if I saw a werewolf at the full moon-who wouldn't be? But anyone can see that you're perfectly human at the moment." I decided I trusted her. She seemed sincere about what she was saying.  
  
"Soooo.." I began, "If a werewolf who wanted to.ah. avoid the Committee, came to you, would you protect them?" I held my breath.  
  
"Of course. I assume it's you. What's your name?"  
  
"Registry number one-zero-eight-seven-three." I said, hearing the hate in my voice at the whole Werewolf Registry system. I didn't mean it to sound like that. "Harriet Rivers." I finished, more brightly.  
  
She gasped. "I didn't recognise you from the photo's in the paper. I mean, I read them, of course, but I never thought you'd come here."  
  
"I dyed it." I knew I looked ridiculous. "As disguise."  
  
"This is going to be quite difficult, but I promise you, we're going to help you." she said, determinedly. "I mean, after the article in the Daily Prophet, people aren't exactly going to have a good impression of you. You saw it?"  
  
"Yes. Not good." I replied slowly.  
  
"Come on," she said, as she walked, so fast that she was practically running, through the door into the next office. I followed her, with Elizabeth gliding behind me.  
  
Natasha started speaking hurriedly to the man in the next office, who seemed just as surprised as she had done, when she told him who I was. He had an idea.  
  
"I have a friend who has his own show on the Wizarding Wireless Network. His show's live, in less than 3 hours. I'm sure I could get him to interview you on it."  
  
"So, that's all I have to do?" I said, doubtfully. I didn't think that idea would make a difference to anything.  
  
"Yeah." he said. "But you have to be polite, and natural. Try not to say anything bad. You've got to show them that you're a civilised human being."  
  
"OK." I said, but I still doubted it would have much effect, and wasn't that keen to tell all the listeners that I was around.  
  
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~  
  
[b]3 hours later[/b]  
  
"You may have heard of Harriet Rivers, the twelve year old werewolf, who escaped from the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, who were going to execute her. Well, she's here with me now. Don't be afraid- she seems quite nice to me, and at the moment I'm doubting the Committee's reports of her viciousness. I know she should be sent back to the Committee and executed, but here at the Wizarding Wireless Network, we believe she deserves a chance to speak. Good evening Harriet."  
  
I gulped inaudibly. "Hi."  
  
"How long have you been a werewolf, Harriet?"  
  
"Five years." I said. It felt odd to be discussing my lycanthropy openly with a complete stranger. "I was seven years old when I was bitten, on holiday in France. We were on a campsite, and I was walking to the toilet block in the middle of the night, when I was attacked. I shone my torch in the werewolf's eyes, which is probably the reason it left me alone, and didn't kill me."  
  
"It must have been hard for you as a young child." he said. So true. "How did you cope?"  
  
"With difficulty." I smiled weakly. "I just got used to it in the end, though I've never understood or got used to all the prejudice against werewolves. At first I didn't believe the doctor who told me I was a werewolf, I mean, I didn't know how people became werewolves, I just thought they were evil monsters who ate people!" At that point I half expected someone to shout 'They are.' "When I went to Hogwarts things got worse. Because I was given the Wolfsbane potion there, which let me stay in control of myself when I was transformed and made the transformation less painful, so when I was at home for the holidays I found the pain more unbearable than usual. Also, as it's a boarding school, it was hard to get away from people, and to keep my secret, especially from my best friend Danielle. She knows now, and she doesn't mind, but I didn't dare to tell her myself."  
  
"OK, Harriet. I'm going to move on and ask you some questions about more recent events." Although I knew these questions would be harder to answer, they were the most important ones, the main reason I was going through with the interview plan. "First of all, and I'm especially curious about this, as you're trying to clear your name, did you not commit the crime that the Committee are after you for?"  
  
I was a bit nervous about my answer here. Although I was going to tell the absolute truth, I doubted this answer would go down to well with the public who were listening. "Yes, I did." I said. "I'm not trying to 'clear my name', because I am guilty. What I am trying to do, is to get them to understand that the punishment is unfair, and that they must change the laws. I shouldn't be punished, because what I did wasn't my fault." [i]Not directly anyway,[/i] I thought. I felt guilty about it, because if I had only tied myself up better, maybe I wouldn't have escaped, and none of this would have happened.  
  
"How did you feel when you killed someone?" He asked. "I understand if you don't want to answer that."  
  
"No." I said firmly. "I'll answer. Well, I honestly don't know. Because I was transformed, I wasn't really conscious of what I was doing. When the moon went down and I changed back to myself, I felt sick, from the raw flesh, and blood in my mouth. Straight away I realised what I had done, and felt terribly guilty and ashamed. I never thought the Committee would want me dead, because I know that they don't execute humans in Britain anymore, and I assumed that would apply to any kind of human, werewolves for example."  
  
"So, you're saying that the werewolf part of you is separate to yourself, and that you're not in control o what you do at the full moon, you don't even know what you're doing."  
  
"Yes. if it hadn't been for the blood, I wouldn't have known." I felt I was making some progress here. If I could get people to understand that it wasn't my fault, then everything might be OK.  
  
"But I suppose the Committee doesn't understand that point of view."  
  
"No." I knew I had to be especially cautious at this point. If I said what I thought, and got really worked up about the Committee, people would think I'm horrible to everyone, and that I hate all people. "They don't understand werewolves at all, because they've never tried to. They think of us on the same level as they think about the hippogriffs and other animals they deal with. Of course, there's a big difference. Personally, I think werewolves should be unarguably classified as beings. People at the Committee don't speak to me as an equal, and they refuse to read 'Hairy Snout, Human Heart'." I almost laughed out loud. It sounded so ridiculous. "I'm sorry, but I think everyone should read that book, if they're going to deal with werewolves. My parents gave it me after I was bitten." Now, this is where the first part which I had thought up earlier came in. "I think understanding is the most important thing. if they can understand werewolves, they won't kill them needlessly. I don't just want to save myself, I want to stop them killing others, in the future."  
  
"What have you been doing over the past 2 months, since you escaped for the second time? No-one has heard anything from you since you attacked your executioner at the Committee and escaped in wolf form."  
  
"Well, actually," I said, forcing a smile (pointless really, as no-one could see me!) someone has heard from me. I wrote to my best friend, and we've been in contact for over a month. I've been in hiding-I can't tell you where. Then yesterday I got fed up with hiding, so I left. I slept in a barn last night, went to the Committee for the Disposal of dangerous Creatures this morning, in disguise, and then to the office of Werewolf Support Services, this afternoon. It's all gone so quickly since I left."  
  
"You're taking quite a risk by returning to London, what will you do if they catch you again?"  
  
"The same as anyone without a death wish would do." I said briskly, then added more softly. "[i]Try[/i] to escape."  
  
"And if you can't escape?" He enquired.  
  
"I think that's pretty obvious." I answered dryly. "I won't have any choice in the matter." I didn't add what I was thinking, which was [i]Shut up you stupid prat, or better still just drop dead. I don't bloody need you to keep reminding me of things I'm trying not to think about."  
  
"But how would you react in that situation?" He persisted.  
  
[i]Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP![/i] I screamed inside my head. "Well, I really don't know," I said patiently. "It hasn't happened yet, and it WON'T, OK?" [i]Calm down Harriet. calm down [/i] "I'd probably shout a lot, rattle the bars on my [i]cage[/i], and cry." [i]Cry like I would be doing now, if I didn't have to be so polite.[/i] I thought. [i]I obviously have more self control than I realised.[/i]  
  
"Right, it's time to end the interview. Good luck hiding, and good luck wit your battle against the Committee." He said.  
  
"No!" I grabbed the microphone. I hadn't said a lot of stuff that needed saying. "I hope someone has listened to me, 'cause it's unusual for a werewolf to be listened to. That's why I'm not likely to succeed without some help. If you agree with what I have said, please try to do something about it. Owl the Committee, or go to their headquarters. they say I'm an inhuman monster, but I think that how you treat others is more important that your blood, whether you have pure-blood, half-blood, muggle-blood, or werewolf blood." This was another part I'd thought up and rehearse earlier, if you're wondering why it sounds like that! "Please try to help me to change the unfair laws, which are destroying me, and my kind. Thank-you very much." A tear dripped from my eye.  
  
In less than an hour there was news of a crowd of protesters outside the Committee building, and rather a lot of owls heading that way.  
  
"Please can we go near there?" I begged Natasha, and the man. "We could stay out of the way, but just let me see what's going on, please?" They weren't completely sure, but in the end I persuaded them.  
  
We were inside a magical shield which made us invisible, but we could see out of. If I had stuck my hand through the wall, it would be visible. I saw that most of the Committee members had run away. The only ones left were Walden Macnair- the executioner, and Benjamin Counter, the head of the Committee. Though at a first glance, he looked old and feeble, I was still quite scared of him, because I knew how cruel and merciless he could be.  
  
The hair dying charm seemed to be wearing off-it looked like I had blonde highlights. Hair dying charms don't last as long as conventional hair dying potions.  
  
Anyway, at about 8pm, when it was dark, I got fed up of sitting around, so I just walked through the wall of the shield, and disappeared into the crowd. I enjoyed myself for about half an hour, shouting everything I'd wanted to say before, but hadn't been able to. Then the spell must have completely worn off.  
  
Someone whispered: "Look! It's Harriet Rivers!" and suddenly everyone was staring at me. I don't think I looked that different to normal, with the streaks in my hair, it was just than no-one expected to see me with blonde highlights, so they didn't notice me until I looked how they had seen in the Daily Prophet. I was grabbed roughly from behind, and dragged through the crowd. A few people tried to make my captor let go, but he was too strong. As I was held roughly on the steps in front of the building, near Counter, I realised who it must be, who had caught me. It was Macnair, the executioner. Two thoughts popped into my head at the same time. One was [i]'Damn, they've caught me. After everything I've done to try and escape..'[/i] But the other was a little more optimistic. [i]'They can't kill me now, not with all these people here, who want me freed!'[/i]  
  
Unfortunately the Committee thought they could. Now I was in front of the crowd I could see someone I recognised. It was Danielle, standing right in front of the steps. I was puzzled at first, after all, there was no Wizarding Wireless in the Ravenclaw common room, and she didn't have one of her own. Then I saw who she was standing next to, both of them looking very agitated. It was Elizabeth. She must have gone all the way to Hogwarts, while I was being interviewed, to fetch her, as I'd been talking about her on the way to the Werewolf Support Services.  
  
The head of the Committee had begun speaking, rapidly. "It is the decision of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, that the werewolf, Harriet, hereafter called the condemned, shall be executed on the 25th September, at.." he glanced at his watch ".8.32 pm. To be carried out by the Committee's chairperson, Benjamin Counter. As witnessed below, signed Walden Macnair." He pulled a knife out of his robes, and I could tell, maybe smell it in the air, that it was silver. Everyone in the crowd was petrified, with shock and amazement, that they didn't move. All except Elizabeth. She gave Danielle a huge shove, which (with her not being solid) didn't move her, but the icy touch shocked her, and she leapt up the stairs, and knocked Counter, who was just about to strike me with the knife. He fell, but as he did so, the knife slashed across my fingers, starting between the joints of my little finger, and going upwards diagonally, over the next two fingers. I saw a line of blood welling up, and I was terrified. It wasn't a deep cut, but I knew the effect silver has on werewolves, when it penetrates the skin. I saw all the flesh and skin within half an inch of the cut, burn away, severing three of my fingertips. I even heard them hit the ground. the pain was unbearable I was trembling, and then, I passed out.  
  
Everything until I woke up is what Danielle and Elizabeth told me. Someone went to get medi-wizards for me and Counter, as he was unconscious, while the crowd took Macnair's axe away, and held him back, now they were out of their trance-like state. I was taken to St Mungo's hospital, where I woke up.  
  
When I awoke, my fingers weren't bleeding anymore. They had been magically healed, and hardly hurt at all. Magic can still surprise you, even when you've been brought up with it.  
  
Soon my first visitor arrived. It wasn't Danielle, or my parents, as I had hoped, but the news he brought was better than seeing my family and friends again.  
  
"Ahem." said Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. "Now that you are awake, I have some very important news for you. Over the past few hours the Ministry of Magic have been debating what to do about werewolves. We have decided-though it's not official yet-that werewolves are no longer to be classified as beasts, so the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, is no longer responsible for you."  
  
[i]'Whoohoo!'[/i] I thought, grinning broadly, and hardly taking in what the Minister said, which was something about the Werewolf Registry, being responsible for making sure all werewolves had a secure place to transform. Then, he got my attention again, when he told me that I'd be spending the next day at home, and returning to Hogwarts in the evening. I was a bit nervous about what people would think about me, when I returned to Hogwarts, though.  
  
After the Minister left, although it was the middle of the night, they allowed Danielle and Elizabeth in to talk to me, which we did, for hours on end!  
  
At about two o'clock in the morning, my parents arrived. They were allowed to take me home, as I didn't really need to stay in bed, and they needed more beds. It was such a long time since I had seen them (though I had written to them a few times when I was in hiding at Hogwarts), but for some reason I couldn't think of anything to say to them. The hugged me, and fussed over my fingers, though I'd told them that they didn't really hurt that much anymore. In the end we went to the car (parked on the roadside, as St Mungo's doesn't have a car park. Some people are really inconsiderate towards muggle families!) and drove home. I climbed into bed, the minute we got home, and slept all morning. The afternoon was mostly spent sitting, 'talking' to my parents, feeling very awkward. I still couldn't find anything to say to them. I felt that I'd grown up a lot over the past month or two, and they didn't notice.  
  
Anyway, I was relieved in the end, when it was time to leave, to go to Hogwarts. I took a pinch of floo powder, and threw it into the fire, saying, "Professor Dumbledore's office, Hogwarts" Dumbledore spoke to me briefly, in his office, before dinner. He said that he hoped I'd be OK with everyone, and that if I had any problems, to talk to him. He said he thought I'd catch up with my school work easily enough. Then it was dinner time.  
  
I was sitting in my usual place at the Ravenclaw table, before anyone arrived, except Professor Dumbledore, at the teachers table. It wasn't long before students started pouring into the hall, chattering. I was ever so nervous about seeing everybody again. As some 2nd and 3rd year Ravenclaws who I knew, started to arrive, they noticed me, and stared and whispered amongst themselves. Orla Quirke's eyes looked like they were about to pop out of her head, but I didn't glare back. After what seemed like hours, Danielle came into the hall and sat down next to me.  
  
"I wasn't allowed to tell them." She muttered. "I think Dumbledore's going to make a speech." I hoped he wouldn't. I didn't want more attention drawing to myself.  
  
Dumbledore cleared his throat. " I expect most of you have noticed a person at the Ravenclaw table who has been missing for some weeks. Indeed, there was a time when I feared she might never be able to rejoin the school. Her release from the death sentence upon her, was achieved almost entirely by her own efforts. Some people say that werewolves-an I am sure you are all aware that Harriet is a werewolf- are not human, that they are incapable of feeling anything, except the desire to kill. Harriet has proved otherwise. She has worked hard enough to be a Hufflepuff, demonstrated the determination and cunning of a Slytherin, shown strength and bravery in such abundance as would make any Gryffindor proud, and of course, the quick- thought of her own house-Ravenclaw.  
  
I would hope that all of you, in a similar situation, would show as much strength of mind as Harriet did, and as much open-mindedness and loyalty as her friend Danielle has shown. I hope that no student in this school is ashamed of having a werewolf in their midst. You should be proud to know such a girl, who has worked hard to get being classification, and rights for her kind-Harriet Rivers. Forget you ever heard she was a werewolf, she is still the same person she was before you knew, treat her that way."  
  
I was really embarrassed by such praise, and I felt my cheeks burning. I was certain I looked like a tomato. A few people applauded his speech, mostly from the front two tables, Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. I started to eat, in silence, looking down at my plate. It was obvious from the applause that not everyone at Hogwarts hated me. I was relieved about that, but I couldn't help thinking of all the others, who hadn't clapped.  
  
After dinner everyone went up to their common rooms, but I went straight to my dormitory. Danielle followed me. I started unpacking clothes, and slamming drawers shut. I pinned up a lunar chart, with days ticked off, on the wall behind my bed. "Can put that up now." I muttered angrily to myself, practically hammering drawing pins into the wall with my fist. "It's not as if I can hide it anymore."  
  
"It'll be alright." I jumped. I hadn't seen Danielle come into the room. I turned around, to face her.  
  
"How do you know? They might all hate me. Even those who did clap could be indifferent, and were just clapping to be polite, to Dumbledore." I was really stressed about it, and though Danielle told me not to worry, I couldn't help thinking that I was right, when the other three, second-year Ravenclaw girls came into the dormitory.  
  
My bed was in the corner of the room, and Danielle's was the one next to it. Orla started whispering to Helena. All I heard was the word change, and I thought that they were talking about me, and transforming. Then Orla and Helena started taking things out of drawers, and swapping over. Helena had previously had the bed in the opposite corner, furthest away from me, but now they had changed beds, Orla was there, with Helena in the middle of the room, and Aurore - Orla's best friend, between them. I didn't really know  
  
I thought, that seeing as Helena had been happy to move closer to where Danielle and I were, she couldn't hate me too much, so I felt a little happier. I didn't really know Helena or Aurore that well. I knew Orla, unfortunately, it was hard to avoid knowing someone like that. She made a point of talking to everyone, and she generally didn't say nice things.  
  
"'Night 'Roar." She said. "'Night you two." She meant Helena and Danielle. "'Night werewolf." I resisted the urge to scream at her, and go and punch her. Instead I sniffed, and closed my eyes, hiding my face under the covers, and eventually I got to sleep  
  
In the morning, I was caught up in the usual crowds at the entrance to the Great Hall on the way to breakfast. Someone tapped me on the shoulder, and I turned round, but no one was looking at me, and none of the people there were people I knew. I turned around to face the front, all the time pushing forwards through the crowd. Maybe whoever it was had caught my shoulder by accident. I was nearly at the door when someone tapped me again, and once more, I spun round, to see nobody. Then someone on my left nudged me, and a voice from my right muttered, "Hurry up werewolf, you're blocking the doorway. I practically ran to the Ravenclaw table, tears stinging my eyes. 'If this is what it's going to be like at Hogwarts, I might as well give up now.' I thought. But I was stubborn, and still determined to make the most of this second chance I had earned. I knew it was everyone else who was cruel, not me.  
  
All through breakfast people were staring at me. I couldn't see the Gryffindor table, so I didn't know what they thought of me, but Gryffindors are known for being more open-minded, and less prejudiced than the other houses. In fact, the Sorting Hat had nearly placed me there, partly for that reason. Still, the Slytherins were glaring angrily, the Hufflepuffs were staring curiously, and whispering to each other, an most Ravenclaws were pretending to ignore me, and glancing when they thought no-one would notice.  
  
"I'm a being, for God's sake!" I felt like screaming at them. "A being just like you. I've earned that status, so why are you all staring at me like I'm a freak? I'm not going to do anything!"  
  
And I wasn't going to do anything, or shout that. I had to stay calm. I had learned a few years before, that people will blame anything on a werewolf, they look for excuses to hate us. I know that if I lost my temper, everyone would say it was because I was a werewolf. I ate quickly, rarely joining in conversation with Danielle, who was (not very subtly) trying to convince the others to speak to me. Orla would never listen, obviously, and her friend Aurore was unlikely to. I thought that eventually Helena would be OK about it.  
  
Soon it was time for Defence Against the Dark Arts, with Professor Lupin. He was looking pretty nervous and exhausted from the full moon three days before. He bit his bottom lip, as he hesitated before speaking. "Today we will be studying werewolves." He stated calmly, as everyone in the room turned to stare at me. "Sorry." He mouthed at me, wincing. Then he carried on with the lesson normally. "Does anyone know anything about werewolves?" Quite a few people raised their hands. "Yes, Orla, tell me a fact about werewolves."  
  
Orla smirked, and began to speak slowly, and with relish, directing every word towards me. "It has a Ministry of Magic classification of XXXXX." She paused to get the exact quotation in her mind: "This means 'Known wizard killer, impossible to train or domesticate.'" Again, practically everyone in the room turned and stared at me, with expressions of shock and fear, though I'm sure they'd all read Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, before, and knew what classification werewolves had. I had never been able to forget that rating. 'Wizard killer, impossible to train or domesticate.' I hated it. I assumed they'd be changing the book soon, as werewolves are no longer classed as beasts.  
  
"That is correct Orla." He replied, though he looked less than happy at her answer. "However, you forgot that this rating only applies to the wolf-that is the animal that the cursed human becomes, for just one night a month." People glanced at me again, looking unsure. Orla let out an odd laugh, which sounded rather like a pig snorting.  
  
"I have heard reports of werewolves attacking people when they were in human form. They're still dangerous and vicious."  
  
"And I suppose you've never heard of a human who harmed or murdered anyone?" Contradicted Remus, calmly.  
  
Orla had nothing to say to that, so she just turned and glared at me. It was really unfair. She was angry with me, because she'd lost an argument with Remus- Professor Lupin, I mean. It wasn't my fault. And of course, the silence in this gap gave the class another chance to stare at me.  
  
"I'm getting fed up of this." Said Remus quietly but firmly. "Could you all stop staring at Harriet? You've known her for over a year, and seen her yesterday, not to mention all the other times you've looked at her this lesson, I'm sure she hasn't changed since you saw her 20 seconds ago!"  
  
One of the boys in my class, Stewart Ackerly (one of the worst, and that's saying something) thought of an excuse. A really stupid one, but what do you expect from a boy. "You brought in a Grindylow when we studied them a few weeks ago, Professor. But you didn't bring in a werewolf for this lesson. It could be useful to look at it, for reference."  
  
"Harriet is in human form at the moment, and I'm sure she doesn't want you staring at her all lesson. If you must stare at a werewolf in human form the stare at me." We all gasped, though I gasped for a different reason to the others. "At least you'll be paying attention that way." Everyone kept gaping with their mouths open, but Remus ignored them, and continued with his lesson.  
  
"So, does anyone know anything else about werewolves." A couple of people were a bit calmer now, and Helena and Danielle raised their hands, Helena was trembling a little. Remus chose Helena to answer the question. Danielle left her hand up, reading to tell him her answer after Helena had spoken.  
  
"Silver kills them." Danielle lowered her hand, having obviously been about to say something similar.  
  
"That's right Helena." Said Remus, "But can anyone explain in more detail?"  
  
During the lesson, I had realised that if I never spoke, no one would get to know me, and accept me. I couldn't keep hiding in the corner of the classroom forever. It didn't work, for one thing. So two people raised their hands to answer the question, Danielle and I.  
  
Remus looked surprised, but pleased, so he chose me. "Yes Harriet?"  
  
"Touching silver causes painful burns and blistering." I said quietly. "If silver penetrates the skin, it burns away all the flesh within half and inch. It only kills if it burns into any of the vital organs, or causes a lot of blood loss. If it stays in the body for some time, it poisons us." I'd had difficulty choosing that last word. I could have just said 'them' or 'werewolves' and stayed unconnected, not acknowledging what I was. Now that I'd done that, I might as well carry on. I held out both hands, palms up. "This is where I touched a goblet made of silver." I turned over my left hand, and held that out. "And this is where I was cut with a silver knife-it was only a shallow cut." I shivered, though the classroom was fairly warm, for October. "You can't even begin to imagine how much just touching silver hurts." I whispered.  
  
Everyone was staring at me again, but this time I didn't mind so much. Most of them just looked surprised and curious, and Remus and Danielle were smiling, encouraging me. Certainly it was only Orla and Steward who looked as if they really hated me. A few others would never be nice to me, or accept me, but in those cases they were just afraid, they didn't hate me like Orla did.  
  
I didn't pay much attention during the rest of the lesson, after all, how much could he teach me, when I'd spent twenty-four hours a day, since I was seven years old learning what it's like to be a werewolf. I got on with the work out of the textbook, leaning across the desks to talk to Danielle occasionally. Remus came and stood next to the desk to speak to me.  
  
"I'm sorry about the lesson." He said apologetically. "I didn't know until yesterday that you were coming back, and I'd planned the lesson last week. I couldn't change I easily, because it's the last thing in the book we've been working through."  
  
"It's OK. I'm fine now, though I was really horrified when you first said what we were studying today." I said, smiling.  
  
"I don't like teaching about werewolves." He admitted, with a shrug. "Although I talk about werewolves in general, usually, I always feel like it's personal. It sometimes makes me wonder how the other creatures I teach about feel."  
  
"Why did you tell them?" I asked, perplexed.  
  
"Well, they'd probably heard rumours from the older students, anyway. Professor Snape spread it, when I left 2 years ago. Besides, it was a good way of getting their attention. I don't think I'd have dared to do it if you hadn't got the laws changed." He hesitated. "You did a really great thing, you know. Think of all the people who could have been killed in the future if it wasn't for you. You've saved all their lives, as well as your own." I sighed. I wasn't used to praise, as I've already said, and I couldn't help thinking that I did it for myself. If I hadn't been in danger, I' have thought it was awful still, but I wouldn't have done anything about it.  
  
The bell went for the next lesson, and we all put our things in our bags, to leave. When I was walking down the corridor with Danielle, Helena joined us, along with a couple of lads, who asked stupid questions, such as "What's it like to change into a wolf?" and "Have you killed lots of people?" They left soon enough when I showed them my hands close up, and they both turned quite pale. All boys are wimps.  
  
I didn't really mind them being there. OK, so they were tactless and immature, but they weren't afraid, and they weren't being deliberately cruel. Helena stayed with us all day, proving me right, that she'd join us in the end.  
  
We passed a bunch of Gryffindor fifth years in the corridor. It was Harry Potter and his friends.  
  
"Hi Harriet. Well done." Said Harry, smiling warmly.  
  
"Maybe I should organise a protest for the S-P-E-W." Mused Hermione Granger. Some people say that she's Harry's girlfriend, but I don't think she is.  
  
"Spew?" I queried, puzzled.  
  
"Don't even ask." Advised Ron Weasley, before they disappeared round a bend in the corridor.  
  
The rest of the day passed fairly uneventfully. Of course things didn't immediately change that much, but I felt better which allowed me to cope with Orla and the Slytherins' comments, and the Hufflepuffs' curiosity better. I didn't feel at all depressed anymore, so I wolfed down my food, (without even shuddering at the ironic metaphor!) and talked and laughed with my friends. I even managed to be reasonably civil to Orla, and asked her to pass the salt, without glaring.  
  
I felt content that evening as I climbed into my four poster be, and drew the thick blue curtains around it. I was sure that soon life would be better than when nobody knew about my lycanthropy. I knew that some people would never forgive me for turning out to be a werewolf, but I felt like I had always known that though nothing is ever perfect, my life would be worse than most. Before I came to Hogwarts I had never expected to have friends.  
  
I didn't need to be popular, or even to be liked by more than a few people. I just needed a few good friends, like Danielle, who would always be there for me. All I wanted from everyone else was tolerance, and for them to leave me alone if they couldn't accept what I was.  
  
Of course I was still an individual person, as I would have been if I had never been bitten, but sometimes I wondered what I would have been like if things had been different. I might not have even been Sorted into Ravenclaw, because it was only after I became a werewolf that I retreated into my books, away from people. I expected that people would always find me a little strange, and of course, people still would be unlikely to want to employ a werewolf. But I didn't want to worry about the future. I decided to give up hiding things. Now everyone knew what I was, I might as well be myself all the time. That way, any friends I made would have to like and accept me for who, and what, I was.  
  
  
  
I'm leaving Hogwarts now, at the end of my seventh year and I can hardly believe how much the world has changed, with regards to werewolves. The first years were only about six when the laws were changed, so they've grown up in a world where werewolves are beings. One of the kids who joined Ravenclaw last year is a werewolf, and not ashamed at all. He told his friends in the first week of term, and only a few people at the school had a problem with that.  
  
Other things have changed too. Three years ago Harry Potter defeated Voldemort, before he had even graduated from Hogwarts. A memorial was built in the Hogwarts grounds to students who died during the war with Voldemort, including Harry's best friend, Ron, who sacrificed himself, for Harry and Hermione.  
  
Professor Dumbledore is retiring at the end of this year, and Professor McGonagall will be taking his place. The new Gryffindor head of house, and transfiguration teacher will be Hermione Granger. I was Head Girl last year, which as you can imagine, Orla Quirke was not pleased about.  
  
Although I didn't think much about it, I was always worried that I wouldn't be able to get a job, because of my lycanthropy, but it's not been a problem at all. I've got a good job waiting for me, in the being division of the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Last summer holiday I helped out part time at the Office of Werewolf Support Services.  
  
Of course, not everything can be that good. My mother's family haven't been talking to us, since I was bitten, and even now, we haven't seen them for years. Most Slytherins at Hogwarts still try to make my life miserable, and the same for other couple of werewolves in the school. As I said before, life isn't going to be perfect for my kind, ever, but it's a lot better than it's ever been before. Danielle tells me I did it, but I disagree. I may have had something to do with it, but I didn't do it alone.  
  
I step off the Hogwarts Express, and wave goodbye to my friends. "See you in a couple of weeks!" I shout along the platform to Helena. Everyone knows me, and most don't glare, they accept me these days, though it's common knowledge what I am.  
  
I'm a werewolf-so what? 


End file.
